"Ano gid bala ang labing importante nga sugo sa tanan?"

Ebanghelyo subong nga Adlaw (Marcos 12:28-34)

May isa ka manunodlo sang Kasugoan didto nga nakabati sang ila pagbinaisay. Natalupangdan niya nga si Jesus nagsabat sa ila sing nagakaigo. Gani, nagpamangkot man sia sa iya, "Ano gid bala ang labing importante nga sugo sa tanan? 

Si Jesus nagsabat, "Amo ini ang labing importante nga sugo, 'Pamati ka, O Israel, ang Ginoo nga aton Dios amo lamang ang Ginoo. 

Higugmaa ang Ginoo nga imo Dios sa bug-os mo nga tagipusoon, sa bug-os mo nga kalag, sa bug-os mo nga hunahona, kag sa bug-os mo nga kusog.' 

Ang ikaduha amo ini, 'Higugmaa ang imo isigkatawo subong sang imo kaugalingon.' Wala na sing sugo nga labi pa ka importante sa sining duha." 

Ang manunudlo sang Kasugoan nagsiling sa iya, "Husto gid, manunodlo! Matuod ang siling mo, nga isa lamang ang Dios, kag wala na gid sing iban pa luas sa iya. 

Kag dapat higugmaon sang tawo ang Dios sa bug-os niya nga tagipusoon, sa bug-os niya nga hunahona, kag sa bug-os niya nga kusog, kag dapat niya higugmaon ang iya isigkatawo subong sang iya kaugalingon. Labi pa ka importante ang pagtuman sining duha ka sugo sang sa tanan nga halad nga sinunog kag halad nga inihaw." 

Kag sang pagkahibalo ni Jesus nga maayo ang iya sabat, iya sia ginsingganan, "Indi ka malayo sa Ginharian sang Dios." Sa tapos sadto, wala na gid sing may nangahas sa pagpamangkot kay Jesus. 

Prayers:

"We love you, O our God; and we desire to love you more and more. Grant to us that we may love you as much as we desire, and as much as we ought. O dearest friend, who has so loved and saved us, the thought of whom is so sweet and always growing sweeter, come with Christ and dwell in our hearts; that you keep a watch over our lips, our steps, our deeds, and we shall not need to be anxious either for our souls or our bodies. Give us love, sweetest of all gifts, which knows no enemy. Give us in our hearts pure love, born of your love to us, that we may love others as you love us. O most loving Father of Jesus Christ, from whom flows all love, let our hearts, frozen in sin, cold to you and cold to others, be warmed by this divine fire. So help and bless us in your Son." (Prayer of Anselm, 12th century) 

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Reflection of the Daily Gospel:

What is the right and sure way to peace, happiness, and abundant life? The prophet Hosea addressed this question with his religious community - the people of Israel. Hosea's people lived in a time of economic anxiety and fear among the nations. They were tempted to put their security in their own possessions and in their political alliances with other nations rather than in God. Hosea called his people to return to God to receive pardon, healing, and restoration. He reminded them that God would "heal their faithlessness and love them freely" (Hosea 14:4). God's ways are right and his wisdom brings strength and blessing to those who obey him. 

How does love and obedience to God’s law go together? The Pharisees prided themselves in the knowledge of the law and their ritual requirements. They made it a life-time practice to study the six hundred and thirteen precepts of the Old Testament along with the numerous rabbinic commentaries. They tested Jesus to see if he correctly understood the law as they did. Jesus startled them with his profound simplicity and mastery of the law of God and its purpose. What does God require of us? Simply that we love as he loves! God is love and everything he does flows from his love for us. God loved us first and our love for him is a response to his exceeding grace and kindness towards us. The love of God comes first and the love of neighbor is firmly grounded in the love of God. The more we know of God's love and truth the more we love what he loves and reject what is hateful and contrary to his will. 

What makes our love for God and his commands grow in us? Faith in God and hope in his promises strengthen us in the love of God. They are essential for a good relationship with God, for being united with him. The more we know of God the more we love him and the more we love him the greater we believe and hope in his promises. The Lord, through the gift of the Holy Spirit, gives us a new freedom to love as he loves (Galatians 5:13). Do you allow anything to keep you from the love of God and the joy of serving others with a generous heart? Paul the Apostle says: hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has been given to us (Romans 5:5). Do you know the love which conquers all?